Every Great Story Has a Beginning.
Ours began with four little paws.
A Little Pup With a Big Story
Minnow came to us at exactly the right time.
She was born on February 13th, 2020, in Maine, in the Happy Days litter. Her puppy name was Pinky. She was born second, arriving with enough determination to nudge her brother Fonzie out of the way.
We watched the puppies grow through the breeder’s video feed, checking in constantly.
When we got the call that a puppy was available, we didn't know if we'd bring home a boy or a girl, but it truly didn't matter. We just knew there was a new little life about to become part of our family.
An Unexpected Journey Home
Sometimes the longest journeys lead us exactly where we belong.
At the same time, the world was beginning to change. While Minnow was taking her first breaths, none of us knew COVID-19 was about to bring everything to a standstill.
Our original plan was to fly to Maine to pick up our puppy, but travel shut down, and plans evaporated. Instead, we got in the car and started driving from Michigan to Maine. We were lucky to have family in New York, so we had a place to rest along the way.
When the day finally came, we met our little girl, loaded her carefully into the car, and began the journey home. We spent one more night with family in New York before making the final drive back to Michigan. Those were Minnow's very first miles, a journey that began in Maine, passed through New York, and ended in the place she would call home.
Looking back, those miles became the beginning of a much bigger journey, one that would teach us to slow down, notice the little moments, and appreciate the gift of every ordinary day.
A Breed With a Fascinating History
Every family has a story… mine began in Nova Scotia.
Minnow was a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, often simply called a Toller. Though they are the smallest of the retriever breeds, they make up for their size with intelligence, enthusiasm, athleticism, and an unforgettable personality.
The breed originated along the rugged coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, where hunters noticed that foxes playing along the shoreline would spark the curiosity of ducks. Tollers were developed to mimic that playful behavior—running, bouncing, and playing near the water's edge to lure ducks closer before retrieving them after the shot. The word "tolling" literally means to entice or lure.
Full of Personality
Life is too short not to chase a stick.
Tollers are known for their beautiful red coats, expressive amber eyes, feathered tails, and boundless love of water. They are incredibly intelligent and eager to learn, thriving when they have a job to do or a game to play. They form deep bonds with their families and are happiest when they're included in everyday adventures.
Anyone who has shared life with a Toller also knows about the famous "Toller scream"—an excited, joyful vocalization that seems to appear whenever something wonderful is about to happen. They can be wonderfully sweet one moment, hilariously stubborn the next, and they often carry a mischievous sense of humor that keeps their people smiling.
Visit Minnow's Instagram for more adventures, photos, and memories.